G'day Guys,
I was on this Forum but for some reason I couldn't access the site, so had to re-register. No doubt through my own ineptitude!

My 1988 V12 XJS is ready for the engine & Auto Gearbox to be removed. I would like some advice & guidance please. The subframe is out, engine supported by a support bar up top. Rad , Fan, Oil cooler, A/C etc., has all been removed, also downpipes, R&P, associated cables. My question is, do I pull the engine & gearbox from the top, or drop the unit down? I have an engine hoist also a 500Kg hydraulic table, I am just unsure which way is the safest and easier way to go. Any & all advice would be appreciated.

Thank you in advanced,

Roger

 

Rogrt,

Welcome to the Forums.

From the TOP mate.

Chain length will annoy you to get the "angle of the dangle" right so it clears the front bumper area, but no cradle etc will make it doable. You will need some height to clear that front bit.

 

The engine has to come out from the top. You need a balance bar for the hoist, ensure all transmission supports, propshaft, fuel pipes, exhaust, oil, gearbox and coolant radiator pipes are disconnected, and out she comes! far less difficult in practice that you fear beforehand.

 

That's exactly the way to do it....with a special helper! Get them started young and they'll be involved for life.

 

Engine removal from the XJS is one of the easiest removals, out the top, i have ever done, because you can remove everything proud of the bumper, the rad top mount member and the cross bars all come right off, meaning it doesn't have to come up nearly as high as shown in the pics above, IF, you remove all the exh down pipes from the manifolds, which are one of the WORST things I have ever dealt with, esp on a cat retained car.

The rear trans mount isn't hard, just jack up trans as high as it will go to remove spring tension and unbolt the four mounting bolts to the frame.

If you already have the front subframe off, you can lower the whole car at least another 6" in front, so motor elevation is very small.

Have couple helpers because the motor will want to swing back and forth pulling it forward, as you probably won't be able to push the car out from under the motor with no front wheels

Doug

 

Special helper? And here I was thinking Greg looked an awful lot younger than I imagined him...

 

Sadly, that photo being years ago, he does look now even worse than you imagined!

 

Its a multi-generation procedure. Handed down until eventually finished by the grand kids!

Cheers, Dave

 

Its a multi-generation procedure. Handed down until eventually finished by the grand kids!

Cheers, Dave


Now that’s a good one!!

 

Setting the car up with a forward slant will help..

 

I decided to drop the engine and box out & it did come out quite easy. It is sitting on blocks on the floor. I have separate the box. I really need an engine stand but the standard offerings look a too dangerous for my liking. Does anyone have plans to make yourb own?

Roger

 

VERY interesting. Could you please just clarify what you had to remove from the engine to get it out? I am guessing from the photo:
Inlet manifolds,,
Front Exhaust manifolds both sides,
Alternator
Maybe the power steering pump, or was it already off?

Congratulations, anyway!
Greg

 

Hi Greg & thankyou,

I removed the Inlet manifolds along with all the associated stuff, the front exhaust manifolds didn't have to come off, I removed to gain access to the rear, but that didn't work because the RH side of the bay gets in the way and you can't get them off, same with the LH side. The gearbox oil cooler pipes were removed, the Power steering pump was off getting serviced. Alternator removed, all wiring attached to the engine & gearbox was removed. AC compressor, but really only for weight saving. I think that was about it. The motor was hanging on a support and I just brought the table up to take the weight of the motor & gearbox, and then slowly lifted the body up, checking as I went. I was concerned may hangup on the steering column (RH drive car), but it just slid past it.

Roger

 

Thanks, good idea for the ageing owner to use! Where did you get that nice looking yellow stand?

 

I bought the hoist from a local Company who sell, install and service them. At the time is was only about $Au4000. It is an absolute must for me, I'm over laying on my ageing back!! 😂

 

Re your engine stand: I would just buy a typical stand (they all seem to be made in China), and then make it safe, mostly by extending the footprint further out the side and also forward, and make it four wheel instead of three (if that is what is available). It will save you time and money.

Doug

 

Thanks for that Doug. Do you recommend a front support also as the motor is very long?

 

I would extend the front of the base out front, and have outrigger casters there for sure.

The problem with supporting the motor at the front, is you don't know what axis the motor is on when it is bolted to the rear rotating mount. I suppose an adjustable height "something" could be attached to the front of the stand base to give it some support.

That V12 motor is a heavy SOB for an aluminum motor, it outweighs an aluminum head, iron block Big block Chev motor by around 150 lbs near as i can tell. And that Chev motor was somewhat unstable on a three wheel motor stand, you had to be careful moving it around.

Doug

 

Not to add to the V12 vs V8 debate, but regarding weight. The V12 engine weighs less than my BBC. The 5.3 V12 weighs about 650 lbs. The 8.1 Liter V8 in my Suburban (L18) is reported to weigh around 750 lbs.

They're both very low mileage so I hope they don't need to worry my cherry picker or gantry any time soon.

BTW - If I needed to work on the V12, I would make a stand like the Camp Chaos folks - basically two stands to support the weight.

Dave (Signature shows the Jaguars - leaves out the Chevy trucks)

 

No, not the ramp, the thing the engine is sitting on!